Osprey Short Film Awards 2026
Saturday 21 March 2026, Theatre By The Lake 1pm
FREE ENTRY
What are the Ospreys?
The annual Osprey Short Film Competition and Awards were started in 2011 as part of the Keswick Film Festival and since then have championed Cumbria and Cumbrian talent both in front of and behind the camera.
Each year at the Festival we celebrate local filmmaking by showing the shortlisted films in the Open and Student categories and announce the prize winners, as determined by the panel of judges.
At the awards, audience members vote for their favourite film.
This year the Audience Award has been renamed the John Hurt Award for Excellence in Short Filmmaking to honour our late Festival Patron.
“I feel it's very important for those of us who are established in films to make sure that we put ourselves out to encourage the next link in the chain. It's not difficult to put oneself out and it was greatly enjoyable watching their films and sharing their pleasure at the awards.”
Official Selection 2026
Our 2026 films features a diverse array of genres, from charming stop-motion animations and documentaries to bold queer cinema and surrealist student work.
The selection takes us on a journey from the delicate ecosystems of the Duddon Estuary to the neon-lit chaos of Blackpool.
We see the world through the eyes of red squirrels, young skaters, and even a reanimated postman.
A big thank you to Anwen, Lady Hurt and everybody else who joined us to watch the films and vote for the inaugural John Hurt Award for Excellence in Short Filmmaking.
The following prizes were awarded:
The final running order is still to be confirmed and these are currently listed in alphabetical order.
- Above The Below by Signal Starters
- Blackpool by Stephen Gallacher
- Dear Heart by Emily Barnard & Sara Barnes
- Flip by Networking Productions
- Meat Raffle by Stuart Armstrong
- MRI by Dougal Vecqueray
- Orlok: Überbringer Der Pest by Jack Payne, An 'Imagination Station' Production.
- Sandscale Haws - A Home on the Sand by Dom Bush (Land & Sky Media)
- Skate Like A Lass by Juliet Klottrup
- Wood You Believe It? Directed by Cadi Carlow (Environment Agency)
Open Award Winner
Meat Raffle
Stuart Armstrong (14m 55s)
Open
Terrified he's turned his son queer, Rich plots to rig his local pub's Christmas turkey draw to prove what it means to be a real man.
This short film is a bleakly funny, charmingly bizarre, queer genre gem set in Carlisle and was nominated for the Film4 Best British Short Iris Prize in 2025.
Contains strong language and scenes of a sexual nature
Student Award Winner
MRI
Dougal Vecqueray (3m 46s)
Student
A patient named Tom goes for an MRI scan only to be transported into a galactic void.
After the contrast dye he was injected with begins to spread across his body, Tom is turned blue.
Things become even more trippy as Tom's journey through the void takes a sinister turn.
John Hurt Award for Excellence in Short Filmmaking
As voted for by the audience
1st Prize
MRI
Dougal Vecqueray (3m 46s)
Student
A patient named Tom goes for an MRI scan only to be transported into a galactic void.
After the contrast dye he was injected with begins to spread across his body, Tom is turned blue.
Things become even more trippy as Tom's journey through the void takes a sinister turn.
2nd Prize
Blackpool
Stephen Gallacher (13m 22s)
Open
After 30 years of too many downs and not enough ups on life's rollercoaster, Billy embarks on a final lost weekend in the funfair of a town that is Blackpool.
In a hilarious, drink and drug-fuelled romp Billy staggers from one failed attempt to another, but then suddenly finds a reason to live in all the madness.
Contains strong language, drink and drug use, and suicidal themes
3rd Prize
Dear Heart
Emily Barnard & Sara Barnes (9m 11s)
Open
|
F-Rated
An intimate portrait of an ordinary 63-year-old woman who knows that being outdoors every day whatever the weather is the cure for succumbing to life's 'stop cards'.
Other Shortlisted Film
Above The Below
Signal Starters (4m 50s)
Student
A young flying fish is banned from flying, but is determined to try out its wings in this delightful animation made by 8-12 year olds at Signal Starters.
Sandscale Haws - A Home on the Sand
Dom Bush, Land & Sky Media (10m)
Open
Sandscale Haws is a National Nature Reserve on the Duddon Estuary in Cumbria which is home to a third of all the UK's native plant species.
It is a dynamic dunescape shaped by wind and tide. Bounded by industry and infrastructure it is an incredibly special place for the Community
in South West Cumbria who come to experience and protect its abundant, but sadly threatened, ecosystem.
Flip
Oli Caig, Networking Productions (1m 14s)
Student
Two friends flip a coin to decide which of them carries out a perilous task.
Wood You Believe It?
Cadi Carlow, Environment Agency (3m 45s)
Open
|
F-Rated
Twiggy, a lively red squirrel, and Woody, a spirited great spotted woodpecker, share fascinating facts about the unsung heroes of nature - trees.
Through playful banter and engaging life-size stop motion photography, Twiggy explains how trees are essential in combating climate change, reducing flooding and creating cool, thriving ecosystems.
Skate Like A Lass
Juliet Klottrup (3m 27s)
Open
|
F-Rated
A look at the female and LBGTQ+ inclusive skating subculture within the North West of England.
Through workshops and providing the skaters with disposable cameras and utilising photography and film as democratic tools, this rich series of images acts as an important archive.
Orlok: Überbringer Der Pest
Jack Payne, An 'Imagination Station' Production (12m 57s)
Student
A reanimated postman is recruited to deliver post by the formidable Count Orlok in this haunting short film.
More Details Coming Soon
Filmmakers Network
As well as showcasing great short films we also hope the Ospreys will provide opportunities for film makers to meet each other and possibly collaborate on future projects.
We have created a group on Facebook called the Osprey Filmmakers Network which we invite you to join if you have entered a film in the past
of are thinking of doing so in the future, or perhaps you'd like to get involved in some other way.
Osprey Filmmakers Network: http://bit.ly/OspreysNet
Partners & Sponsors
The Osprey Short Film Awards at Keswick Film Festival proudly accepts entries via FilmFreeway.com,
the world's best online submission platform. FilmFreeway offers free HD online screeners, unlimited video storage,
digital press kits, and more.
If you'd like to sponsor the Osprey Short Film Awards or supply any prizes then please contact us.
Keswick Film Festival is supported by Film Hub North with National Lottery funding on behalf of the BFI Film Audience Network.
All programme and film details are correct at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.